After the trial heat of the first May examination, the field of candidates for Honors begins to assume something like a calculable form. The ruck falls off rapidly, and the good men settle down to their pace. Many of them are now for the first time under crack private tutors—for it frequently, indeed usually happens, that a “coach” of reputation declines taking men into his team before they have made time in public. When the Freshman has not a public-school reputation, and sometimes even when he has, the result of the May decides whether he will go out in Honors or not—that is, whether he will be a reading or a non-reading man (for with all but the very badly prepared, going out in Poll is equivalent to doing nothing—so far as University studies are concerned—for at least half the course). If his success be such as to encourage him, he begins his work again, as has been observed, early in the Long vacation, towards the close of which, however, he takes a real vacation of a month or so (generally provided for in all engagements with private tutors, or for reading-parties), so as to come to his work fresh at the beginning of the college term. Though not so decisive in its results as the third year, this second year is the turning point for not a few.